Arsthbt

Many stories feature "espers", or in other words, a person who is capable of mind control, telekinesis, telepathy and all kind of powers related to the mind.

Some examples in comics, movies, books, cartoons, anime and manga are Mob in Mob Psycho 100 (2012), Akira (1982), the Jedi in Star Wars (1977), Jean Grey in X-Men (1963) and Village of the Damned/The Midwich Cuckoos (1960)/(1957).

But for sure there is an earlier one. Which was the first story featuring espers?

Note: I looked for this question since it seemed obvious it should be there, but I couldn't find it. The closest one I've found is this, and it isn't exactly the same Earliest example of mind control failing. If there's one, please post the link to it.

One of the earliest stories is the novel The Hampdenshire Wonder by J.D. Beresford, published in 1911. The novel chronicles the life of Victor Scott, who is of superior intelligence and can control people with his mind.

With some further research, came across The Coming Race by Edward Bulwer-Lytton published in 1871. It's the story of a subterranean race called the Vril-ya, who resemble angels and have the power to channel the energy called Vril using staffs to heal or destroy and had telepathy.

Copied from my answer to Q: Who was the first telepath?:

1755: A Voyage to the World in the Centre of the Earth: Giving an Account of the Manners, Customs, Laws, Government, and Religion of the Inhabitants, Their Persons and Habits Described ... : In Which is Introduced, The History of an Inhabitant of the Air, an anonymous booklet published in 1755; an abridged reprint from 1802, titled Bruce's Voyage to Naples, and Journey up Mount Vesuvius, is available at Google Books. It is the tale of a visitor to a utopian civilization inhabiting a 1000-mile-diameter globe inside the Earth. From Bleiler's review:

The humans are longhaired, bearded, and to some extent can read minds and character. They live to extreme old age, two hundred years not being unusual.

From the Google Books scan, p. 11:

"Know, O son of earth! that thou art not the first, by many, that chance has thrown upon our globe, neither is it impossible for us to visit your world: that god whom we truly adore has blessed us with those gifts that you are strangers to. We can, when we please, transport ourselves to your regions; and what surpasses even that, we have the gift of knowing the thoughts of those we converse with. By this means we are much better acquainted with your earthly brethren than you are yourselves, who can judge only by appearances. Often do you clasp that man to your bosom as a friend, who at the same time is your greatest enemy, and only professes friendship, while you have wherewithal to make him welcome; but when that fails, he will not only desert you, but leave you to starve in a dungeon, and pretend he never heard your name. These things, and worse, are common in your world: I have often made an excursion thither myself; and having the gifts I before mentioned, have seen things greatly unworthy of those beings that are, like ourselves, made after the image of our creator. Perhaps at a proper time I may tell you some particulars, but for the present we will confine ourselves to what relates to the world we are now upon, and which is in the centre of your globe."

From pp. 33-34, maybe an instance of telepathy in action:

I rose the next morning as soon as it was light and strolled about the town till breakfast-time; and when I came home, my landlady perceiving the perturbation of my mind, took every method in her power to alleviate my anxiety.